Apparatus and method for measuring optical component

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring an optical component ( 160, 170, 190 ) of the apparatus, the apparatus comprising a radiation source ( 130 ) configured to form a measuring beam in a measuring channel ( 140 ), wherein the measured optical component configured to be in a first position outside the measuring channel and in a second position in the measuring channel; a first detector ( 110 ) configured to receive beams in the measuring channel; a second detector ( 150 ) configured to receive beams in the measuring channel; at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to select at least one of the first detector and the second detector to receive beams in the measuring channel, the measuring channel ( 140 ) being integrated to a photometer or a fluorescence channel of the apparatus; receive a first beam, using the selected detector, in the measuring channel, wherein the measured optical component is in the first position; receive a second beam, using the selected detector, in the measuring channel, wherein the measured optical component is in the second position; and determine the characteristics of the optical component based on the first beam and the second beam.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A microtiter late reader apparatus for measuring an optical component of the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 a light source configured to form a measuring beam in a measuring channel, wherein the measured optical component configured to be in a first position outside the measuring channel and in a second position in the measuring channel; 
 a first detector, located in the measuring channel, configured to receive beams in the measuring channel, wherein the measuring channel being integrated to a photometer channel or a fluorescence channel of the apparatus, wherein the photometer channel or the fluorescence channel being used when measuring a sample using the apparatus; 
 at least one processor; and 
 at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
 measure a first beam, using the first detector, in the measuring channel, wherein the measured optical component is in the first position; 
 measure a second beam, using the first detector, in the measuring channel, wherein the measured optical component is in the second position between the light source and the first detector; and 
 determine optical characteristics of the optical component based on the first beam and the second beam. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , the at least one memory and the computer program code being further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
 store the characteristics of the optical component to the memory; and 
 provide the optical component to be used by a user of the apparatus. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the optical component being a filter, band-passing the second beam to the first detector; and
 the at least one memory and the computer program code being further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: 
 determine the characteristics of the filter based on the first beam and the second beam, wherein the characteristics comprise band-pass wavelength information. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the optical component being a dichroic mirror, reflecting the second beam to the first detector; and
 the at least one memory and the computer program code being further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: 
 determine the characteristics of the dichroic mirror based on the first beam and the second beam, wherein the characteristics comprise reflection wavelength information. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the optical component being a dichroic mirror, transmitting the second beam to the first detector; and
 the at least one memory and the computer program code being further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: 
 determine the characteristics of the dichroic mirror based on the first beam and the second beam, wherein the characteristics comprise transmittance wavelength information. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first detector comprising at least one of the following:
 a photometer detector; 
 a fluorescence detector; 
 a spectrograph; 
 a photo multiplier tube; and 
 a photodiode. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the measuring channel comprising at least one of the following:
 a fluorescence channel of a microtiter plate reader; 
 a photometer channel of a microtiter plate reader; 
 an emission channel of a microtiter plate reader; and 
 an excitation channel of a microtiter plate reader. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first position comprising a storage position for the optical component in the apparatus. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second detector configured to receive beams in the measuring channel;
 the at least one memory and the computer program code being further configured to with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: 
 select at least one of the first detector and the second detector to receive beams in the measuring channel, wherein the second detector comprising at least one of the following:
 a photomultiplier tube; and 
 a photo diode. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured, together with an excitation filter of certain optical characteristics, to generate a desired excitation light. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising optics comprising at least one lens positioned between the light source and at least one detector to focus and re-size the light beam to a desired size and separate channels. 
     
     
       12. A method for measuring characteristics of an optical component of a microtiter plate reader apparatus, the method comprising:
 generating a measuring beam in a measuring channel using a light source; wherein a first detector being configured to receive beams in the measuring channel, the measuring channel being integrated to a photometer channel or a fluorescence channel of the apparatus, wherein the photometer channel or the fluorescence channel being used when measuring a sample using the apparatus and the method further comprising: 
 measuring a first beam, using the first detector, in the measuring channel, wherein the measured optical component is in a first position outside the measuring channel; 
 measuring a second beam, using the first detector, in the measuring channel, wherein the measured optical component is in a second position inside the measuring channel between the light source and the first detector; and 
 determining the optical characteristics of the optical component based on the first beam and the second beam. 
 
     
     
       13. A computer program embodied on a computer readable non-transitory medium comprising computer executable program code which, when executed by at least one processor of a microtiter plate reader apparatus, causes the apparatus to perform the method of  claim 12 . 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code being further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
 identify the optical component based on the determined optical characteristics.